Coast Resorts Open Roads Forum: How many of us are there? Owners of Dodge based RV's?

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Topic: How many of us are there? Owners of Dodge based RV's?

Posted By: Griff in Fairbanks on 02/17/09 02:26pm

overdrive75 wrote:

Transmission Coolers

Currently I only have the in tank transmission cooler on my '78 Dodge. I will be towing my cherokee behind me. I am thinking adding an AUX cooler out in front of everything might be a good idea. I have installed one on the jeep in the past when we had a popup up camper, so I know how to do it. I am just looking for some info as to where others have mounted their's if they have mounted them. Thanks

I would install the Mopar Performance deep transmission pan first. The extra fluid capacity and extra depth help keep the fluid cooler.

Summit has them, as well as a pan (from a different manufacturer) with built-in cooling tubes.

If you do change the pan, stay with stamped steel. Aluminum pans crack and break too easily while steel pans just dent.

1970 Explorer Class A on a 1969 Dodge M300 chassis with 318 cu. in. (split year)
1972 Executive Class A on a Dodge M375 chassis with 413 cu. in.
1973 Explorer Class A on a Dodge RM350 (R4) chassis with 318 engine & tranny from 1970 Explorer Class A

Posted By: Leeann on 02/17/09 02:45pm

I have both a deep pan and a good-sized aux cooler, but my radiator had been replaced by a PO with one that didn't have a built-in tranny cooler. We have ours installed to the side of our radiator behind the grille, since I have a lot of room to do that in an A.

With both, our tranny temp stayed low even when towing a race trailer up a 6500 ft. 'hill' in 90º temps.

'73 Concord 20' Class A w/Dodge 440 - see profile for photo

Posted By: 79powerwagon on 02/22/09 05:12am

A tranny cooler is a must! For a rig like these towing a 4500lb Jeep, you almost cannot get one too big! Add the deep pan, add the cooler, drive around awhile NOT loaded, recheck your fluid level, top it off as needed, then tow away! [emoticon]

We got another 8" of snow yesterday. Will Spring EVER come?

She ain't purdy, but at least she's slow!

Posted By: overdrive75 on 02/22/09 08:52am

Thanks for all the tips. The jeep only weighs in at 3300 lbs. wet, I put it on the scale at the local landscape shop. I wanted to make sure I was legal without adding the "toad brakes" and I am am under the requirment of 3500 lbs in MI. I am going to go with the big trans cooler, but I am going to skip the deep pan, as I am not sure I want to reduce my ground clearance any as I do like to remote camp up in the UP and some of the forest roads, might want to bite a deaper pan if you know what I mean. Thanks for the inputs from everybody. Now does any one have any pictures of the trans cooler installed.

On a side not I didn't work on the RV yesterday, I did however work on camping stuff. I installed the base plate for the tow bar on the jeep. I need to figure out what I am doing for lighting now.

Posted By: Leeann on 02/22/09 09:07am

You might be under the requirement, but I'd see how the rig braked going down a hill before I made my decision. Yes, the braking systems are expensive, but they could save your life.

My deep pan didn't get me anywhere near my axles - it's still inches above. So it didn't reduce my ground clearance one bit.

[image]

Pictures of the cooler....I think I'd have to take some.

* This post was edited 02/22/09 09:16am by Leeann *

Posted By: Jer&Ger on 02/22/09 04:22pm

Mine has the deep pan also and I do a lot of off road stuff without any clearance problems either. I like the fact of having a little extra fluid going through my system helping with the cooling some....Jerry

Jerry & Gerry, our pets (dogs), Byron, Coco
1976 Monaco, 440 ci. Dodge Sportsman chassis

Posted By: Griff in Fairbanks on 02/23/09 02:46am

overdrive75 wrote:

I am going to go with the big trans cooler, but I am going to skip the deep pan, as I am not sure I want to reduce my ground clearance any as I do like to remote camp up in the UP and some of the forest roads, might want to bite a deaper pan if you know what I mean.

I had a deep pan on my '77 Dodge B200 van. (318 LA small block and A727 automatic.) I spent a lot of time towing heavy boat trailers and a lot of time off-pavement. Never had any clearance or debris problems with the deep pan.

I'm with Leeann on the brakes. I've had heavy trailer loads try to take over the tow vehicle and it's no fun.

Leeann - you've convinced me ... I'm adding a trans cooler, in addition to the in-radiator cooler to MLP.

Posted By: overdrive75 on 02/23/09 04:31am

On the toad brakes, I am not to worried about it. It's not that I am not experienced with towing. I am. I currently own a boat that when on the trailer tips the scales at 13,000 lbs. (yes brake on this on all 3 axles). I also have a snowmobile trailer that when loaded is 6,000, brakes on here as well. I have towed cars in the past on tow bars and never ran with brake on them and never had any issues. The cherokee is not the lightest I have towed it is however far from the heaviest. Towing a car on a tow bar is a little different in that they do not sway. Also with the jeep being less than 1/3 the MH weight I an not worried about it passing me.

I will look into the deep pan since others are saying they did not have issues with similiar types camping.

Posted By: Leeann on 02/23/09 07:20am

Griff in Fairbanks wrote:

Leeann - you've convinced me ... I'm adding a trans cooler, in addition to the in-radiator cooler to MLP.

Excellent (said in best Mr Burns voice) !

You might want to look into one that has a viscosity bypass for when it's colder, since you do plan on using MLP in the snow.

A mechanic from another site: "I run a B&M SuperCooler as it has a viscosity based bypass that will limit the overcooling affect in cold weather."

[image]

Posted By: Griff in Fairbanks on 02/23/09 01:30pm

Leeann wrote:

You might want to look into one that has a viscosity bypass for when it's colder, since you do plan on using MLP in the snow.

A mechanic from another site: "I run a B&M SuperCooler as it has a viscosity based bypass that will limit the overcooling affect in cold weather."

Thanks! B&M has a good reputation and I was concerrned about too much cooling, especially at minus 30 degree temperatures.

I am planning to travel to southwestern states so desert temperatures also concerned me.

I don't like putting the tranny cooler in front of the radiator so I'll probably put is elsewhere. (I don't like the tranny cooler's heat being passed through the radiator.) I'll add an electric fan to the tranny cooler. I will be adding a tranny temperature sensor and gauge so I could make the fan thermostatically controlled.

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